Ordnance



Ud. E7, 1939. P. E. J. DENolx ORDNANCE Filed April 2l, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 P. E. J. DENolx 2,176,524

oRDNANcE Filed April 2l, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Qd. l?, i939.

P. E. J. Dx-:Nolx 276524 ORDNANCE Filed April 2l, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 M @di ff/Q. @Uw ma f @et E7, 1939. P E. J, DENOix 2,75,524

ORDNANCE Filed April 2l, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 L0 g N S v3 f g /f/J N Patented Get. 17, 1939 STATES PATENT OFFICE ORDNANCE Application April 21, 1938, Serial No. 203,416 In Luxemburg April 29., 1937 5 Claims.

This invention relates to ordnance and especially to trench mortars `of the type comprising a gun the lower end of which rests on the ground through the agency of a base plate, while the chase rests on a support, preferably in the form of a bipod.

The invention aims at providing a piece of ordnance of the foregoing type, which is of simple and stout construction and very easily handled, and which, when of small calibre, can be easily carried and served by one man.

According to this invention the gun barrel of the piece of ordnance is connected to its support by means of a universal joint.

The male member of said universal joint is preferably composed of two cups, each integral with a leg of the support, and jointly forming a complete sphere, said cups being arranged in such a manner as to be relatively pivotable, in order to enable the legs to be straddled.

The assembled universal joint is mounted in a female member, or cage, integral with a collar adapted to slide along the barrel of the gun.

ln one embodiment of the invention, the cage of the joint comprises a cheek, which is movable in relation to the collar and is adapted to be tightened, to a greater or less degree, on the joint by means oi a nut engaging on the one hand with the joint and on the other with a thread provided on the collar. Said cage also comprises a cap, preferably independent of said cheek, and bearing against the collar, either directly or through the agency of resilient members such as Belleville washers.

The sliding collar connecting the universal joint with the gun barrel comprises, preferably, a device enabling the grip on the gun to be adjusted at will.

This arrangement facilitates the operation of pointing the gun barrel and, at the same time, enables the grip to be adjusted to a value suiciently light to allow the gun barrel to recoil, by sliding in tne collar, when the gun is fired, Without disturbing the support. The grip can be adjusted in such a way as to allow the parts to be shifted by hand during the operation of pointing, whist preventing untimely shifting under the effeet of shocks occurring during manipulation.

The baseplate, which is xed to the breech of the g in 1nnown manner, is composed of a circul platform from the lower portion of which (intended to be situated underneath the gun) a segment is removed in order to ensure firmer seating on the ground.

The invention also covers the arrangement of the pointing accessories with which the gun is tted and which comprise mirrors enabling the longitudinal and transverse levels, provided thereon, to be viewed from below.

The foregoing and other features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the companyingdrawings which illustrate diagrammatically and purely by way of example, one embodiment thereof, and in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a trench mortar in the ring position;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section along the axis of the barrel;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section, on a larger sca-le, of the universal joint connecting the gun with the support;

Figs. 4 and 4a are corresponding views of modiiications of the joint of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a detail, on a larger scale;

Fig. 6 is an elevation of the collar slidably mounted on the barrel; and

Figs'. 7, 8 and 9 are perspective views showing the details of the pointing arrangements.

In the drawings, i denotes the gun barrel, the rear end of which rests on the ground through the agency of a baseplate 2, while the chase on upper part of the barrel rests on a support composed of two legs 3, articulated cn a collar l surrounding the gun and adapted to be rendered immovable thereon in a convenient position (Figs. l and 2).

The bipod and the collar 4 are connected together by a spherical joint, the male member of which is formed by two cups 5 (Fig. 4) which are preferably hemispherical, and each of which is integral with one leg. The cups t, one in the other, by means of their suitably shaped rims 5a,

orv articulate together in any other way, in such a manner as to enable the legs 3 to be straddled. The sphere 5 5 formed in this manner is mounted in the female member or cage of the joint, which is integral with the collar and comprisesY a cap 6, coresponding in curvature with the sphere 5 5, and a cheek l, the assembly of the cap. and cheek surrounding more than one half of the sphere. The cheek l is so arranged that it can be tightened, to a greater or less degree, against the head 5 5 which it embraces, this result being attained in the present instance, by means of a nut 8, the rim 8a of which engages-a flange 9 on the cheek l, said nut being adapted to screw on a thread provided on a nipple I l of the collar 4. The cheek l is out away at i2 to enable the bipod to be folded back alongside the gun, to facilitate transportation of the mortar.

The positions of the swivel 5 and cage B, l may, of course, be inverted, the swivel being then integral with the collar, Whilst all, or some, of the members of the cage are integral with the legs 3.

The collar 4 has a tightening device comprising a resilient band I3 (Fig. 4) with a truncoconical outer surface and longitudinal slots I4.

Said band may be pressed, more or less firmly, on the barrel by the trunco-conical inner wall of a nut i5 which screws on to a thread I6 on the collar li.

Attached to the rear end of the ygun l is the base-plate 2 (Figs. 1 and 2) provided with' a point il, which in the case of a self-firing gun, carries a xed striker pin I8 projecting permanently inside the bottom of the barrel.

The plate 2, of substantially circular shape, has one segment removed at the part marked i9 (which is intended to be situated under the gun i in such a way as to facilitate resting the gun on the ground. The form of the base-plate itself is accordingly that of a segment of a circle.

Detachably mounted on the collar is a simplied sighting apparatus (Figs. 5 to 9) comprising a drum 2Q which carries a longitudinal level and is adapted to pivot on an axis perpendicular to the axis of the gun, opposite a band Zla fixed on the collar 4. The level 2! carries a sighting line 2lb and a datum line 2lc which enables the angular position of the level to be observed in relation to the graduation on the band 20a.

A transverse level 22 is mounted in the axis of the drum 2i) and serves for correcting lateral tilt. angular displacement of this level is the same as that of the drum, in order that its bubble may always be visible in a vertical plane passing through the axis of the drum. Mirrors 23 and adapted to turn on pivots, integral with the drum Eil in the one case, and with the rotational axis of the drum in the other, enable the bubbles in the levels 2l and 22 to be observed from below (Fig. 9), thus facilitating the adjustment. One portion of the mount carrying the mirror 24 is out away at 24a, to enable the level 22 to beobserved from above when the mirror 24 is turned down (Figs. 7 and 8). 25 denotes a button which compresses a Belleville washer (not shown), the suitable tightening of which acts up, between the sighting apparatus and the collar 4, a degree of friction which allows the apparatus to be rotated when the ring angle is being adjusted, whilst preventing the apparatus from shifting by inertia during the act of firing.

In order to set up the gun in battery position, all that is needed is to unfold the legs 3 and spread them apart, the gun being then set in pc., n on the ground and pointing towards the objective. The points I7 of the breech and those 2li or the shoes El' anchor the gun to the ground.

Tilt is corrected by turning the unit formed by the gun i and collar 4, in relation to the joint o 5, so as to bring the level 22 into the horizontal position.

The angle of fire is adjusted by bringing the collar into the desired position on the barrel by means of the nut, and adjusting the inclination by means of the level 2l and the scale opposite the drum 20.

The projectile is, preferably, of the type which carries, on the rear end, the propulsive charge, duly primed and enclosed, for example, in a cartridge. The gun is loaded through the muzzle,

the barrel being suitably inclined in relation to the horizon. The cartridge impinges against the pin I8 and the shot is fired automatically. The barrel l recoils without appreciably moving the collar 4, which grips the barrel lightly and tends to remain stationary by inertia. The barrel l returns into position-under the effect of the reaction of the groundbefore the collar has practically had time to shift. By virtue of this arrangement, the sighting apparatus is shielded from any rough shock during the act of firing.

Fig. 3 shows a modioation of the universal joint, in which the cap 6 bears against the collar 4 through the agency of a resilient device, such as Belleville washers.

Fig. 4a shows another modification, in which a spring 28a, interposed between the cups 5, tends to keep them apart.

With the two arrangements shown in Figs. 3 and 4a, the friction applied to the swivel 5-5 is more uniformly distributed than in the construction shown in Fig. 4.

The gun l may, if desired, be provided with an operated percussion device, instead of a fixed striker pin. It may, in such event, even be provided with a movable breech and fire projectiles of any kind whatsoever.

It is self-evident that the present devices have been described and represented solely by way of explanation and without being restrictive, and that various structural modifications may be introduced therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:v

l. In a piece of ordnance the combination of a barrel, a base-plate at the lower end of said barrel, a support to bear the upper part of said barrel, said support having two legs, and a ball and socket joint between said support and said barrel, said ball and socket joint comprising two cups forming as a whole a complete sphere, each of said cups being integral with one of said legs, said cups being arranged to pivot on one another to enable the legs to be straddled.

2. In a piece of ordnance the combination of a barrel, a base-plate at the lower end of said barrel, a support to bear the upper part of said barrel, said support having two legs, a collar adapted to slide along the barrel, and a ball and socket joint between said support and said barrel, said ball and socket joint comprising two cups forming, as a whole, a swivel, each of said cups being integral with one of the legs, said cups being arranged to pivot on one another to enable the legs to be straddled, whereas a swivel cage, adapted to receive said swivel, is integral with said collar.

3. In a piece of ordnance the combination of a barrel, a base plate at the lower end of said barrel, a support to bear the upper part' of said barrel, said support having two legs, a collar adapted to slide along the barrel, and a ball and socket joint between said support and said barrel, said ball and socket joint comprising two cups forming, as a whole, a swivel, each of said cups being integral with one of the legs, a swivel cage adapted to receive said swivel and integral with said collar, said swivel cage having a cheek movable in relation to the collar and adapted to grip the swivel, a threaded part on the collar, and a nut engaging said threaded partl of the collar, on the one hand, and said cheek, on the other hand, said nut being adapted to adjust the grip of said cheek on said swivel.

a barrel, a base-plate at the lower end of said barrel, a support to bear the upper part of the barrel, said support having two legs, a collar adapted to slide along the barrel and a ball and socket joint comprising two cups forming, as a 5 Whole, a swivel, each of said cups being integral with one of the legs, a swivel cage adapted to receive said swivel and integral with said collar, said swivel cage having a cheek movable in relation to the collar and adapted to grp the 10 swivel, a cap movable in said swivel cage, at least one resilient member between said cap and said collar, a threaded part on the collar and a nut engaging said threaded part on the collar, on the one hand, and said cheek on the other 15 hand, said nut being adapted to adjust the grip of said cheek on said swivel.

4. In a piece of ordnance the combination of a barrel, a base-plate at the lower end of said barrel, a support to bear the upper part of the barrel, said support having two legs, a collar adapted to slide along the barrel and a ball and socket joint comprising two cups forming, as a whole, a swivel, each of said cups being integral with one of the legs, a swivel cage adapted to receive said swivel and integral with said collar, said swivel cage having a cheek movable in relation to the collar and adapted to grip the swivel, a cap bearing directly against the collar, a threaded part on the collar, and a nut engaging said threaded part on the collar, on the one hand, and said cheek on the other hand, said nut being adapted to adjust the grip of said cheek on said swivel.

5. In a piece of ordance the combination of PAUL EMILE JOSEPH DENOIX. 

